John Wes Townley
Townley atBristol Motor Speedway in 2015
Born	John Wesley Townley (1989-12-31)December 31, 1989 Watkinsville, Georgia, U.S.
Died	October 2, 2021(2021-10-02) (aged 31) Athens, Georgia, U.S.
NASCARO'Reilly Auto Parts Series career
76 races run over 8 years
2016 position	111th
Best finish	23rd (2009)
First race	2008Camping World RV Sales 200 (Dover)
Last race	2016Sparks Energy 300 (Talladega)
Wins Top tens Poles 0 0 0
NASCARCraftsman Truck Series career
110 races run over 6 years
2016 position	17th
Best finish	8th (2015)
First race	2008Ohio 250 (Mansfield)
Last race	2016Texas Roadhouse 200 (Martinsville)
First win	2015Rhino Linings 350 (Las Vegas)
Wins Top tens Poles 1 24 2
Statistics up to date as of October 3, 2021.

John Wesley Townley (December 31, 1989 – October 2, 2021)^[1][2] was an American professionalstock car racing driver. He competed inNASCAR'sXfinity andTruck Series from 2008 to 2016, winning a race in the latter in 2015.

Townley's father Tony is a co-founder of theZaxby's chain of chicken restaurants.

AJeff Gordon fan in his youth, Townley began racing inkarts in Georgia and the Carolinas.^[2] Prior to entering NASCAR, he drove in theAmerican Speed Association. He began racing in the Nationwide Series in 2008 when he drove in three races forRAB Racing and had three DNFs. He also competed in 7Craftsman Truck Series forRoush Racing with a best finish of 18th at bothThe Milwaukee Mile andTalladega Superspeedway. He returned to the Nationwide Series with RAB in 2009 and qualified for 26 races. He finished 16 races and finished 23rd in points. Townley's driving style proved controversial, resulting in numerous accidents; he received the nickname "John Wrecks Weekly" from fans.^[3]

Townley joinedRichard Childress Racing for 2010, but was released before the sixth race of the year atPhoenix International Raceway. It resulted in his replacement for that race byClint Bowyer, and for the rest of the year by Bowyer andMorgan Shepherd. He rejoined RAB Racing for a few races later in the 2010 season.^[3]

Townley returned to RAB Racing for the2012 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season, competing forRookie of the Year honors.^[4]

On February 7, 2012, Townley was arrested and charged withDUI following an automobile accident in suburbanOconee County, Georgia.^[5][6] He was subsequently suspended by RAB Racing until an "appropriate" amount of time had passed,^[7] and was placed on probation by NASCAR through the end of the year.^[8] Townley would return to driving for the team in the Camping World Truck Series at the end of March atMartinsville Speedway, where he finished 23rd.^[9] He would finish in the top 20 in the following three races, and would return to theNationwide Series in RAB's No. 99Toyota atDover International Speedway^[10] andDaytona International Speedway during the summer.

In August, Townley attempted to make hisSprint Cup Series debut atPocono Raceway, driving forFAS Lane Racing with sponsorship fromZaxby's.^[11] Townley hit the wall on his warm-up lap of practice out of the tunnel turn and was replaced byJason White.^[12] On the same weekend he scored his first career top-10 finish in NASCAR, finishing 8th in the Camping World Truck Series race at Pocono.^[13]

After the 2012 season, Townley signed withRed Horse Racing to drive the team's No. 7 Toyota in the Camping World Truck Series for 2013.^[14] In addition, Townley drove forVenturini Motorsports in the season-opening race for theARCA Racing Series atDaytona International Speedway. Starting from the pole, he went on to win the event,^[15] running a partial schedule in ARCA and the NASCARNationwide Series for the team.^[16] Townley finished 11th in Truck points.^{[citation needed]}

For the 2014 season, Townley moved toWauters Motorsports to drive the No. 5 Toyota in the Camping World Truck Series,^[17] as well as running full-time in theARCA Racing Series forVenturini Motorsports.^[18] Mid-season, Townley moved toAthenian Motorsports,^{[citation needed]} which is owned by his father Tony Townley,^{[citation needed]} for the remainder of the Truck Series season as well as a partial Nationwide Series schedule.

AtPocono Raceway in August, Townley was involved in an accident during ARCA qualifying and was forced to sit out the remainder of the weekend as a precaution.^[19] In December, it was announced that Townley would return to the Truck Series full-time in the No. 05 for Athenian Motorsports while also running part-time in the Xfinity Series in the No. 25 for Athenian Motorsports.^{[citation needed]}

In 2015, Townley won his first career truck race atLas Vegas Motor Speedway whenMatt Crafton pitted for fuel with six laps to go. Townley stayed out on the gamble and won in the process.^{[citation needed]}

During the 2016Drivin' for Linemen 200 atGateway Motorsports Park, Townley was involved in an altercation withSpencer Gallagher, after the two crashed on lap 154. Townley and Gallagher's fight began trending worldwide as it was called as one of the funniest fights in sports.^[20][21] Townley was eventually fined $15,000 and placed on probation until the end of the year. He missed the following race atKentucky Speedway for concussion treatment and was replaced byParker Kligerman.^[22] Townley also missed another race when he skipped theTexas Motor Speedway truck race to treat an injured left ankle, withCody Coughlin taking over the No. 05 for the event.^[23]

In January 2017, it was announced Townley was retiring from motorsports and Athenian Motorsports would subsequently be shutting down operations.^[24]

A native ofWatkinsville, Georgia, Townley was named after English clergymanJohn Wesley. He graduated fromNorth Oconee High School in 2008 and later attended theUniversity of North Georgia.^[2]

He was a recreationalmountain biker andsnowboarder, and also enjoyed playing thepiano,banjo, andguitar.^[25][2] Townley announced his engagement to girlfriend Laura Bird in late 2016.^[24]

According to court documents, in 2019, Townley was charged with three misdemeanor counts, including family violence battery, after he reportedly threw his wife to the floor, causing her to have reasonable fear for her life. Townley pled guilty to disorderly conduct and was sentenced to 12 months probation. In February 2021, he filed for divorce, which was granted in September of that year.^[26]

On October 2, 2021, Townley, age 31, reportedly attacked his ex-wife Laura Townley and Zachary Anderson with a hatchet at her home in the Five Points area of Athens, Georgia. Anderson shot and killed Townley, and accidentally shot Laura, who sustained serious injuries. The investigation is ongoing and no charges have been filed.^[27][28]

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by time.Italics – Pole position earned by points standings. * – Most laps led.)

^* Season still in progress
¹ Ineligible for series points

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time.Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Wikimedia Commons has media related toJohn Wes Townley.

• Official website^{[dead link]}
• John Wes Townley driver statistics at Racing-Reference

• 1989 births
• 2021 deaths
• People from Watkinsville, Georgia
• Racing drivers from Georgia (U.S. state)
• NASCAR drivers
• ARCA Menards Series drivers
• CARS Tour drivers
• University of North Georgia alumni
• Deaths by firearm in Georgia (U.S. state)
• Richard Childress Racing drivers
• RFK Racing drivers

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